Method of and apparatus for perforating music-rolls.



, G. H, DAVIS.

OF AND APPARATUS FOR PBRPOBATING MUSIC ROLLS.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907. I 954,403; Patented July 12, 1910.

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G. H. DAVIS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING MUSIC ROLLS. APPLICATION fILED AUG. 27, 1907.

964,403. Patented Jm 12,1910.'

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e. H. DAVIS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PEBFOEATING MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

Patented Jul .12, 1910.

G. H. DAVIS. METHOD OI AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907. 964,403. A Patented July 12,1910,

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' lvi bmweoz gvwan vtoz G. H. DAVIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PERPORATING MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

964,403. 7 r Patented July 12,1910.

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G. H.'DAVIS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING MUSIC ROLLS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

964,403. Patented Ju1y"12,1910.

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UNITED sraiignnr OFFICE.

GEORGE HOWLETT DAVIS, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

METHOI) OF AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING -MUSIC-ROLLS.

7 Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented July 12, 1910, Application filed August 27, 1907/ Serial No. 390,395. i

new and useful improvements in method of music rolls and machines'for perforating 1 d and met 10 and in an-improved master of making the same.

The-machine is of thattype wherein a plurality of rolls of paper may be simulta neously perforated by punches controlled either electrically or pneumatically by what is known in the art as a pattern or i master.

Theprime object of the invention is to chine for making a novel master from an roll, and to provide copyin ordinary commercial music roll, provision being made for correcting in the master, any errors found to exist in the said commercial perforating mechanism for making per orated music rolls which shall have exact duplicates of the note perforationsfound in the corrected master. 7

In. carrying my improved method into practice with the aid of mechanism, such for instance as hereinafter shown and de'scribed,' I first make a master from an ordinary commercial perforated music roll by passing the latter through the reading or selecting mechanism of a perforating machinewhich reading mechanism has one of its reader or selector elements (say the central one of the series) arranged to control the outermost punch of the gang of punches on either side of the perforating machine, in stead of the central punch, as is customary. The master thus cut will have an imperforate zone arranged centrally thereof extending throughout its length with the note perforations that would ordinarily appear in this central zone transposed along one edge of the sheet. Equi-distant rack-holes are formed in this .central zone in the master during the operation of punching the note-perforations. which rack-holes are formed by the central punch of the gangof punches, so that said rack-holes must be in exact alinement with the note perforations and thus an absolutely accurate feed of the master when used'in the copying perforator, must result, to the end that the music rolls cut from'said master will be exact duplicates thereof so far as the note perforations are concerned.

From the foregoingit will be apparent that my improved master comprises a web having a central series of equi-distant rack-holes, with note perforations arranged at either side thereof, and the position of some of the note-perforations being transposed. This new master is then run through my improved perforating machine whose reader mechanism has its central reader element transposed from its regular position to a osition alongside one of the outermost rea er elements of the series so its opposite edges, whereas according to my present method and arrangementonly a single row of rack-holes'is employed and this is arrangedin the center of the sheet instead of at the edges. I find this new arrangement to have marked advantagesover the old for several important reasons-;

First, the master is not weakened by the numerous perforations along its edges and second, the master is not nearly so sensitive to atmospheric changes.

I will now proceed to describe my improvements in connection with the accom panying' drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete perforating machine constructed according to the presentinvention and designed to cut a master from an ordinary co mercial musicroll. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the mechanism for actuating the rack-hole punch; Fig. 3 is a detail plan View of said mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section, of the copying perforating machine equipped with a special reader to cooperate with my improved master, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the copying perforator and its reader mechanism. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic and sectional view taken approximately on the lines a w and gk-g/ of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6;showing a modified form of my invention as applied to a pneumatic machine. Fig.8 is a plan view of a portion of an ordinary commercial perforated music sheet from which my improved master is to be copied. Fig. 9is a plan view of'a portion ofmy improved master. Fig. 10'is a plan view of a portion of a completed music roll. copied from the master.

I will first describethe perforator mechanism and its associated reader mechanism for making my improved master or pattern from an ordinary commercial music 'roll; and will then describe the copying perforator mechanism' and its associated reader with which the master or pattern cooperates, but will preface the description with the statement that so far as the punchmg instrumentalities are concerned, these are substantially the same in both mechanisms.

The perforator mechanism for making the master and itsassociated reader are practically the same as the correspondin mechanism shown and described in m pend ing application, Serial No. 347,231, fi ed December 10, 1906, except as to certain necessary improvements and these latter will be described. in detail, while the other parts will be set forth in a more general way, a detailed description not being necessary to a complete understanding of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 4, the reference numeral 1 represents a'suitable table or'support upon opposite sides ofwhich 'a number of posts 2 are secured, said posts carrymg cr ss-pieces, upon each of which a series of electro-magnets 3, 3 are mounted, within a U-shaped frame 4. Pivotally connected to one leg of each U-shaped framev and suspended immediately in front of the pole pieces of each magnet 'is an iron bar 5 constituting the armature for the magnet. To the upper end of each armature 5 is connected a coil-spring 6 which tends to draw the lower endof the armature away from its magnet poles when the same is demagnetized. To the lower end of each armature 5'is attached a rod or wire 7 which transmits the motion of the armature to one of a'series of punchlocking dogs or toggles 8, more clearly shown in Fig. 6. D The lower end of each toggle or dog 8 is arranged to engage and lock in position for operation one of a'series of punches 9 which are loosely carried in the vertically reciprocating punch block 10, which block 'also carries the dogs or toggles. The punch 9 co-acting with the dies 11 formthe perforations in the web to be punched, whether said web be the master or the final product of the ma- A shaft 19 is journaled in suitable from the table 1, and carries a drive pulley 21 keyed thereto and two eccentrics 21' which impart a rapid reciprocating motion to the punch-block and its punches by reason of the connecting rods 22.

In the operation of the machine, as thepattern sheet passesbetween the reader ele-' ments, presently to be described, the said elements find their way through the perforations in the pattern and complete the -electric circuit or circuits through the punch selecting magnets 3 and 3 causing an attraction of the armatures 5 and through the rod connections 7 move the punch-locking dogs in position to lock the punches and cause them to pass through 'the material of which the master is to be formed, which master is represented the reference letter A, Fig. 9.

Having briefly described the perforating machine the reader mechanism associated therewith'and its advantages will now be set .forth, it being understood that the said mechanism as employed'in the master forming perforator is substantially the same in all essentials as the corresponding mechanism shown and described in'my aforesaid pending afpplication.

The i 'e base pl te having a air of guide .ways 51 between which is slidably and adjustably mounted the reader frame or support which erence numeral 50 designates a.

comprises a transverse bar 53 having a base 54 guided between said guide ways and having depend-ing therefrom a lug provided with a screw-threaded.aperture in which a screw 55 passes. This screw- 55 has fixed to ne end thereof a beveled gear 56 meshing with a beveled pinion 57, the latter being fixed toa shaft 58 having at its free end a manually operable head 59. It will be apparent from the foregoing that operation of the shaft 58, through finger enga ement of the operator with the head 59 wil cause a rotation of the screw 55, whichwill result in a movement of the reader mechanism either forward or backward depending upon the direction of movement given the shaft 58,'the purpose of which will be presently explained in detail. The upper face of the rail 53 carries a return conductor-l 60 over which the pattern B passes and upon which rest the reader elements, consisting of a series of selector fingers 61, said selector fingers being in circuit with'the magnets 3 and 3. The pattern B passes from a delivery spool, 62 over an idler 63, thence between the reader elements, under idler 63, between feed rollers 65 and 66 and is finally wound upon the take-up roller 67. The shaft which carries the feed roller 65 also carries a ratchet wheel 67 operated by a pawl 68, which pawl is mounted upon an oscilating arm 69 having a link connection 70 with an arm 71 mounted upon a rock shaft 7 2, said rock shaft being ournaled in a bracket 73 mounted upon the base plate 1 of the perforating machine.

This rock shaft has an upwardly extending arm 74 that is regularly and intermittently actuated bymeans of acam 75 mounted upon the power shaft 19 of the perforator.

By this arrangement, it will be seen'that at each revolution of the said power shaft the rock shaft Wlll be actuated and throughthe mechanism described impart a step-byTstep tern earlier or later as the case may be, than the'ywould have entered said perforations if the reader element had not been shifted or adjusted. r In order that the master sheet A may be fed with absolute accuracy through the reader mechanism of the copying perforator presently to be described, I provide the master with equi-distant rack-holes C which rack-holes are arranged centrally of the master and which extend throughoutthe length thereof as shown in Fi 9. In order to prevent the said rack-holes in the master from intersecting any of the note perforations that would ordinarilyappez-ir in the center or middle zone of the pattern, I transpose on the master such central perforations as would be formed by the center punch of the gang of punches in the perforator from their central position to a position along one edge of the master as indicated by the reference letter D, Fig. 9. In

order to make this transposition I arrange the circuit connections leading from the cen-- tral reader element E of the series so as to cause said element to actuate the magnet controlling the outermost punch at one side of the gang of punches. It will be apparent therefore that with this arrangement themaster that is cut from the pattern B will have a central imperforate zone extending throughout the length thereof and will also have along one margin the transposed note perforations that correspond to the central perforations in the pattern, which, except for the transposition. referred to,

' would appear in the center of the master In order to form the equi-distant rack-. holes. in the pattern simultaneously with the punching operation and in exact alincment with the. note-perforations, I provide mechanical means for locking the central punch of the gang at regular intervals, say

at every 6th reciprocation of the punch block. This mechanical punch locking means is more clearly shown in Fi s. 2 and 3 and consists of the rotary shaft 76 arranged in front of the armature 5 of the magnet that controls the locking of the cen- -tr al punch of the gang, said shaft having a hub 77 provided with equally spaced aper- I tures 7 8 in which are detachably secured radial pins 79, said pins being arranged to successively engage the said armature'5 at regular intervals to cause the punch locking dog to lock the central punch and thus form the central row of rack-holes in the master. The shaft 76 has mounted thereon at its outer end a ratchet wheel 80 that is given a, step-by-step-movement through the movement of the pawl 81 mounted upon the pit.- man 82 having an eccentric connection 83 with the power shaft 19 of the perforating machine. The. pawl 81 is normally held into contact with the ratchet wheel 80 by means of a leaf spring 83.

Inasmuch as the pins 79 are equallyspaced and inasmuch as the shaft upon which the pins are mounted is regularly operated through direct'connection with the power shaft 19 of the perforatorand inasmuch as the rack-hole punch is in line with the punches that form the note perforations, it will be apparent that the rack-holes must be in accurate alinement with said note-perforations, hence an accurate feed of the master when associated with the reader elements of the copying perforator must neces sarily result and this is a most important consideration in perforating machines of this type, for it will be apparent that any variation between the feed of the -master and the feed of the sheets being cut will result in a distorted or'imperfect record.

After the master has been formed in the manner described the same' is placed in the copying perforator which will now be described, itbeing understood that so far as the perforating mechanism is concerned this is the same as the mechanism heretofore described, except as to the reader and this comprises essentially a frame 12 attached to one side of the table 1 and having journaled therein a metal contact and feed cylinder 13 provided with a number of equidistant studs or sprockets 14, upon its periphery, which studs or sprockets are arranged midway between the ends of the cyl- .inder so to take into or enter the rack holes in themaster; A ratchet wheel 15 is keyed to one end of the shaftof the cylinder 13 and is operated by the pawl 16 carried on the oscillating lever 17 which is loosely journaled on the shaft of the cylinder 13. .The free end of the lever 17 isslotted and engages a crank pin 18 set on the end of the driving shaft 19. Journaled within the frame 12 are two'slotted spools or rollers 23 and 24:, e latter being provided with a grooved pul ey 25 which is connected by means of a frict'on belt 26 to a similar pul-ley 27 keyed to t e shaft of the 6 cylinder 13. The rollers 28 and 29 are also journaled in the frame 12.- p

A suitable brush piece 30 is adjustably secured to the frame 12 in any suitable manner and carries a set of insulated brushes or fingers 31 constituting the reader'elements which, are adapted to bear against tl e periphery of the cylinder 13. These brushes each constitute one terminal of a series of insulated wires forming the cable 32,

the opposite ends of the wiresterminating instud-like points 33v which are mounted on an insulated strip 34 at one edge of the table as clearlyshown in Figs. at and 5 of the d awing.

20 m nner as to cause the points 33 to contact the faces of the insulated leaf springs 35. which in turn are electrically connected with the electro-magnets 3 and 3".

It isobvious that the electro-magnets if placed in a circuit as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, will become active and attract theirrespective armatures 5, thereby causing the punches 9 to become operative resulting in a row of perforations across the paper web 6 "which represents the final product of the machine or in other words the perforated music roll to be used in the ordinary self-playing instruments now found upon the market. If, however, an in- 35 sulating strip is interposed between the brushes 31 and thecylinder 13 such as the web of the master music roll A the electromagn'et3 and 3 will be deenergized-eX- cepti'ng .those in circuit with'such of the brushes31 as may register with the perforations in the master. In making the final perforated music roll from the master heretofore desci'ibed it will be apparent that the note-perforations D that have been transposed to one side of the ma ster must be re-transposed to their original position, which is at the. center of the web Zr where they originally appeared in the pattern, and to accomplish this I arrange the outermost reader element 6 of the reader mechanism in circuit with the central punch of the gan ofpunches so that as the transposed per orations at the margin of the master register with the said reader element 6 the central punch of the gang will be locked and the note. perforations repre nted thereby formed in the center of the s eet where they originally appeared in the com mercial' roll from which the master was made.

. tions as they originally appeared in the cent'er of the sheet.'as being those that are transposed-because I have found in practice that one of the perforations representing what 15 The strip 34 is'adjusted in such I have described and shown the perfora- J known as the 29th note isseldom used. I wish it understood, however, that I do not desire. to be limited to the transposition of any particular perforation as obviously I- may transpose any of the note perforations. b

The operation ofthe copying perforator will be readily understood from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing and particularly by referring 'to Fig. 8 wherein the web of the master A is 7-5 shown having been previously wound upon the spool 23 is carried upward and over the idler 28 with the center row of perforations meshing with the sprockets 14. The master is then placed under the idler 29 and onto the take-up spool 24 where the end of the master is inserted into the slot 7, of'the spool 24: upon-which the web is re-wound.

The webs Z) tobe cut and which represent the final product of the machine are inserted s5 between the die and die-block and are intermittently fed in any well known manner chronological with the master A Power being applied to the pulley 21 a reciprocating motion is imparted to the frame 10 and the lever 17 is caused to oscillate and by reason of the pawl 16 and ratchet 15 conveys to the cylinder 13 an intermittent stepby-step motion which accurately feeds the master A over the peripheryof the cylinder 1.3 until one. or more of the readers 31 register with the perforations in said master. The insulation between the cylinder 13 and certain of the reader elements 31 being broken an electric circuit is establishedwith oneor more of the eletro-magnets 3 and 3" in thefollowing manner, reference being had to Fig. 6: from the battery 0 along the line d to the cylinder 13 then to one of the brushes 31 at e for example through one of tery c. The armature 5 being drawn to the oles of its magnet, the end of the dog 8 controlled thereby locks one of the punches 9 and causes. a perforation to be made in the web I) correspond'ng in length to the onein the master A which, at that period, registers with the brush or reader 31 at e. The electromagnet 3 is automatically cut out of the circuit-by the detent 7.: on the armature 5 which opens the spring leaf switch Z all as shown and described in my prior patents.

'Irl Fig. 7 I have illustrated my invention ina slightly modified form wherein I employ power pneumatics 40 to operate the punch locking dogs .or levers 8. Normally the power pneumatics are inflated and have aport on one side communicating with the channel ll. which in turn communicates with a conduit 42. in which a vacuum is created by exhausting the air in any well-known manner. Interposed between the channel 41 and locks the the conduit 42 is a valve 4:3 normally closed, and carrying on the upper end of its stem a metal plate or armature 44 placed in close 7 proximity to the pole of an electro-magnet 45. In operation, anelectric-current passes from "the battery 0 along the line (Z to the cylinder 13, thence to the brush 31 and along the line 9, through tile coil of the magnet, and returns over the 1 ne 7/ to the battery 0, thus energizing the magnets. The armature 44 being attracted to its'magnet, lifts the valve 43 and thereby permits the air in the pneumatics 49 to be exhausted into the conduit 42 and so collapses'the pneumatics and unches. It will e apparentthat in the modified form of invention just described that the movable member of the power pneumatics operates in substantially the same manner as the pivoted armatures 5 in the electricalconstruction, hence'it is possible with the pneumatic arrangement to associate with the power pneumatic that operates the center punch of the gang of punches, themechanical-rack-hole forming mechanism heretofore described, and when so associated the pins 79 on the hub 77 will engage the movable member of the power pneumatic in the same way that it engages the armature in the electrical construction.

In the descriptionan'd the drawings, I have, for the sake of clearness, illustrated the master formingperforator and the copying perforator with their associated reader mechanisms as two separate and distinct machines, although it will be apparent, that so far as the perforating mechanisms are concerned, they are substantially the same. Obviously, the rack-hole forming mechanism may be put out of service by removingthe pins 79 from the apertures 78 'in the hub 77, said pins being removable and interchangeable for this purpose and for the purpose of varying the distance between ad acent rack-holes. 4

It will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spiritthereof and I do not, therefore, desire to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and described, but reserve the right to all modifications that may fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

1. Ina perforating machine, the combinas tion of a gang of punches, continuously operating means for causing one of the punches intermediate the ends of the gan to operate at regular time intervals to fbrm equidistant rack-holcs intermediate the edges of the sheet being punched, and means controlled by a pattern for causing the operation offthe other punches of the gang.

2. In a perforating machine, the combinar tion of a rapidly reciprocating punch block,

of a gang of punches loosely mounted in said block, continuously operating means for setting one of the punches intermediate the ends of the ang to operate at regular time intervals to form equi-distant rack-holes intermediate the edges of the sheet to be punched, and means controlled by a pattern for setting the other punches for operation.

3. In a perforating machine, the combination of a gang of punches, punch-locking dogs for locking the punches for operation, electrzrmagnets and armatures therefor having operative connections with the punch locking dogs, mechanical means cooperatingwith the armature of one of said electromagnets to actuate the same at regular time intervals to operate its co-related punchlocking' dog, and pattern-controlled reader mechanism in circuit with the other electromagnets.

4. In a perforating machine, a gang of punches, and pattern -controlled, reader mechanism for controlling the operation of 'said punches, one of said reader elements intermediate the ends of the series having operative connections with the outermost punch of the gang. 7

5. In a perforating machine,-a gang of normally inactive punches, means for setting said punches for operation, and a series of pattern-controlled reader elements for controlling the action of the punch setting means, one of said reader elements inter mediate the ends of the series being arranged to control the outermost punch of the 100 gang.

6. In a pattern-controlled punch-selecting perforating machine, a gang of inde endently operable punches, and a series 0 pattern-controlled reader elements for control- 105 ling the action of said punches, one of said. reader elements and one of said punches being transposed for the purpose specified.

7. In a pattern-controlled, punch-selecting perforating machine, the combination of a 110 gang of punches and locking dogs therefor, separate means for setting each dog, continuously operatingmechanical means for operating-at regular time intervals, the setting means for the central punch of the gang, and,

pattern-control]edreader mechanism for opcrating-the setting means for the other punch locking dogs. I

8. In a pattern-controlled, punch-selecting perforating machine, the combination of a j gang of punches and punch-locking dogs therefor, electro-magnets having connectiops between their armatures and said dogs, me-

' chanical means cooperating with one of said armaturcs for regularly operatlng the same i at fixed time intervals to set one of the locking dogs that controls one of the'punchcs intermediate the ends of the/gang, and pattern controlled-electrical reader mechanism in circuitwith all said eleEtro-magnets, except the one whose armature is mechanically actuchine, the combmation of a ang of punches,

ated

9. In a pattern controlled, punch-selecting L perforating machine, the combination of a gang of unches and punch-locking dogs therefor, evices for setting each dog, a rotary element cooperating with one of said devices to regularly operate the same at fixed'time intervals to lock one of the punches intermediate theends of the gang,'and pattern-controlled reader mechanism for controlling the operation of the other dog setting devices.

10. In a pattern-controlled, punch-selecting perforating machine, the combination of a gang of punches and punch-locking dogs therefor, devices for setting each dog, a rotary element carrying a plurality of equidistant pins arranged adjacent to and adapted to periodically engage and actuate one of said setting devices, means operated from a movable part of the perforating machine rotary er mechanism for controlling the operation of the Other dog setting devices, v

11. In a attern controlled punch-sele ting perforating machine, the combination of a gang of punches and their locking dogs, or

patt rn controlled reader mechanism controlling the setting of said dogs, said reader mechanism comprising a series of selector fingers and a cooperating contactroller'having sprocket teeth on its periphery intermediate the ends of the roller adapted to register with corresponding rack-perforations in a master, and means for feeding a master between the selector fingers and contact roller.

12. In a punch-selecting perforating inachine,'the combination of a ang of punches, punch locking means there or, and patterncontrolled reader mechanlsm for controlling the operation of said punch-locking means, said reader mechanism embodying a series of reader elements, the element at one end of the series being arranged to control one of the punches intermediate the ends of the gang.

13. In a punch selecting perforating mapunch locking means there or, pattern-controlled reader mechanism for controlling the operation of said locking means, said reader mechanism embodying a series of selector fingers and a contact roller having a plural t of'centrally arranged sprocket teeth, the nger at one end of the series being arran ed to control one of the punches intermid 1a te the ends of the gang. 7 14. ,The method herein described of makmg haymg'note-perforations, which consists in making a master, from the pattern in which master the position of some of the note-perforations are transposed, forming rack-holes in the master in the zone corresponding to that occupied by the transposed perforations' in t e pattern,,then cutting a record from the master and re-transposing in the record the said transposed perforations to cause them to occupy the same position they occupiedin the pattern.

15. The methcdherein described of inak-. ing perforated music records from a pattern having note perforations, which consists inmaking a master from the pattern, inwhich master a row of the note perforations correspo ding to a row occup ing a position inter ediate the edges 0% transposed to a position different from that they occupy in the pattern, forming equi-.

distant rack-hole in the master in the zone:

corresponding to that occupied by. the said I transposed note perforations in the pattern, and then cutting a record from the master and retransposin-g in the record, the said transposed perforations to cause them to the pattern are rforated music records from a pattern occupy the same position relatively to the other note perforations that they occupied in the pattern.

\ In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HOWLETT DAVIS. Witnesses;'

J. FRED. Bnns'rnormn, J13, MARIAN P. BARRADALE. 

